Electric railway-gate.



G. P. KETTERING.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1910.

1,046,605. Patented Dec.- 10, 1912.

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I 4 E I I Z 4a g z 419-- I 4 /31 30 I III :Down 38 6"0 WITNESSES: INVENTOR E t I I WMLTJEKM Maw? M 'MA Q) Mr ATTORNEYS UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

CHABLES'F. KETTERING, OF DAYTON,- OHIO, ASSIGNOR '10v CHARLES E. MENDENHALL .AND LOUIS P. EARNSHAW, BOTH OE DAYTON, OHIO.

nLno'rnIo RAILWAY-GATE.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 10,1912.

Application filed January 15, 1910. Serial No. 538,192.

To all who)? it may concern: I 7

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. KETTER- me, a citizen of the United, States, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, Statetrol in any of its positions or stopping or g reversing its direction of movement; and

further to control the electric circuits so as automatically to make and break the circuits in the positions of the gate at the limits-of its downward and upward movements.

V Described in general terms, my invention provides an electric motor, to the rotary element of which is connected the railway gate arm such that the rotationof the motor operates to produce the up and down movement of the gate." The motor is wound to provideforrunning in either direction and the switch is arranged in the electric'circuitsin such manner that when thrown in one position the motor operates to carry the gate down, and when thrown into the other position the motor carries the gate up. The operation of" the 'gate automatically breaks the electric circuit when the gate has reached the extremity ofits down or upward p0sition. Moreover the mechanism is so constructed that the motor becomes disconnected from the gate at the extreme down and up positions of the gate. With this general description, I will now proceed to describe in detail the speclfic form of mechanism adapted for accomplishing the 0bjeets sought; it being understood that the preferred form shown inthe drawings and described herein may be varied in numerous respects without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the operating motor and connections withv the gate, the electric circuits and switch-being shown in a diagrammatic manner. Fig.

2 represents a diagram of the circuits alone.

In Fig. lthe inclosing case 10 contains the electric motor 11 to the armature of which is connected the worm 12 operating the gear wheel.l3 which in turn operates the.

main driving gear 14.v The gate 15 is pivoted upon the shaft 16 and is connected to the rock-frame 17 whichalso swingsabout the shaft 16 as the pivotal point. Qn the opposite ends of the frame 17 f are operating pawls 20 and 21. These ,pawlsjare hook shaped and arranged to be engaged by the operating pins 22 projecting from the side of the main operating gear 14. When the car 14 revolves in either direction, enact the other of the pawls 20'or 21 will beengaged by the pins 22 whereby to rock the frame 17 and thus moves the gate 15 up or down. The electric motor 11 is of the type arranged to run in opposite directions, and f controlled by two circuits, one to cause the motor to run in one direction to lower the gate, and the other circuit to cause the motor to run in the reverse direotionto raise the gate. The source of energy for operating the motor may be from a battery or generator 30 or other suitable device connected to the motor by the lead wire 31. The re turn wires from the 'motor are indicated by the numerals 41 and 46, these wires 41 and 46 being connected to the contact strips 45 and 44 respectively, onthe circuit breaking device 43. The wire 32 leads from the motor to the contact device 33, comprising the contact strips 34 and 35. The strip 34 is connected to wire 32, and strip 35 is the casing and is connected to the'contact connected to wire 36 which leads outside of v w point 37 for the switch lever 38. This switch lever 38 is connected by wire 39 to the battery 30. .On the opposite side of the switch lever 38 is the other contact point 40 connected by wire 41 to the other contact device 43. This contact device is composed of two strips 44 and 45, 45 being connected" to the wire 41',and .44 being connectedto the.

lead wire 46 which goes back to the windings of the electric motor.

- It will be'understood thatthe switch lever 38 is locatedat a distance from the railway gate and its operating motor, such' for example. asbeing located in the gatemans tower represented on the drawings by the inclosure 50. The gateman can then op era'te the gate from the tower or from the small house usually situated at railroad crossings.

The result is that one of the pins 22 engages the hooked pawl 21 and thereby pulls the rock frame 17 around with the gear wheel. 14. This of course lowers the gate 15 to its horizontal position. As soon as the gate has reached its horizontal or down position, the electric circuit is broken and the motor disconnected from the gate by the following construction :-Projection formed on the frame 17, contacts with the lower end of the contact strip 35 and forces the strip slightly away from the strip 34 and thus opens the circuit. (The position of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 1 shows the breaking of the other contactdevice 43 as presently'described.) Furthermore the pawl 21 is formed with the tail 71 which strikes the stationary pin 72 when the frame 17 has been rocked into its upper position and the gate is down. This unclutches or unhooks the pawl 21 and frame 17 from the operating gear 14 when the gate reaches its down position and allows the motor to run on independently under its own momentum until it stops naturally, the circuit having been broken as just explained. It will be seen on Fig. 1 that the gate is in its up position, and projection 73 of the frame 17 engages the contact strip 45 of the contact device 43 so as-to break the gate raising cir-- cuit at that point. Similarly the pawl 20 is shown with the tail 74 which engages the stationary stop pin 75 when the gate is up so as to unhook the pawl 20 from the operating gear 14 at this point. As soon as the gate is started downward, the projection 7 3 retreats from the contact strip {15 allowing the latter to strike the strip 44 and close the circuit at that point. gate has reached its down position, the gateman may now raise the gate by throwing the switch lever 38 to up position making contact with the terminal 40. This closes the circuit through the other field winding (see Fig. 2) and armature of the electric motor, thus causing the motor to run reversely and raise the gate by'asimilar operation.

Therefore when the noeacoe That is, the main gear wheel 14 rot-ates in anticlockwisedirection and one of its pins 22 engages the hooked pawl 20- (the frame 17 then being in vertical position) and rotates the frame 17back to horizontal position, with the gate in its up position. At the extreme upper limit of the gate, projection 73 strikes the contact strip\45 and breaks the motor circuit at that point. At the same time the tail 74 of pawl 20 strikes the pin 75 and disengages the frame 17 from the operating gear 14 so that the motor may run on freely until it stops. In thus running on, the pins 22 strike the beveled nose of the pawl 21 and click idly by.

It will be seen from this construction that all that the gateman has to do to lower the gate is to throw the switch lever 38 to its down position, and then the gate takes care of itself. That is, the gate is moved to its down position and at that point the motor circuit which operates the gate, is broken, and the gate unclutched from the driving motor. Then when the gateman desires to raise the gate he throws the switch lever 38 go to up position, and the gate again takes care of itself, moving to its up-position, with similar breaking of the motor circuit and unclutching from the driving gear. construction moreover enables the gateman to have complete control over the gate in any of its intermediate positions. If the gate had been moved partway upward and it is desired to check it upon the possible in tervention of some obstruction, then the gateman need only throw the switch lever 38 to its intermediate or neutral position be-- tween the terminals 37 and 40. The motor circuit is completely broken in such position I and therefore the motor stops, with the gate resting in this intermediate position. To continue the gate downward the gateman again simply throws the lever 38 to its down position with the result above described, the pawl 21 having still remained connected with,the driving pin 22 of the gear 14. If

however the gateman has started the gate downward and then checks it part way as just described by throwing the lever 38 to neutral and he then desires to restore the gate back to its up position, he simply throws the lever 38 to up position, wh ch thereby establishes the circuit through contact device 43. reversely, and one of the pins 22 now engages pawl 20 which has dropped into engaging position and thus raises the gate again to its up position. This arrangement givest-he gateman complete control of the gate at all points, and at the same time makes the gate automatically control itself after the switch is thrown, in case the full limit of movement in one direction or the other is to be permitted.

lit will be understood that the usual de 7 1 This causes the motor to run new,

vices are employed for checkingthe gate in its complete .downand up positioned Also that mechanical design and the arrangement ofparts may be varied in'numerous respects, such as changes in the form of motor driving device, clutch mechanism, contact .devices, and the controlling switch, such changes coming within the: scope of the claims which follow. It is desired also to call attention-toianother feature of the in termediate connections -betweenthe gate and 7 be turned backward. or forward independfently of the motor, by reason of the fact that any attempted movement.- of the gate will cause the pawl or the pawl 21 to pull h in one direction or the other. upon the main.-

operating-j geariiwheel '14. But this gear wheel can only be operated vthrough; the nae- :v

. dium of'th'e. rotation of the worm l2, and

can not he'aturnedl'backward. against the worm. Therefore, jthes gatej-is positively locked in. all its intermediate positions, that i s,-*l'ocked against any movement except the pmperentunderlcontroliof the m0- tor itself. i r

-- V Whatis'claimed is' asj followsz- QILIn-"an electr'cally operated-"gate, the

"combination with the ate, an electric motor; device and 'interme iate. connections between-the gate and motor foroperatin g the former by the latter of an electriccircuit' and switch therein forcontrolling'theoperation of the motor and constructed to stop the motor at any point upon the opening of said switch; and means automatically controlled by the motor and-connections, for

' breaking the motor circuit and disconnecting the-motor from the "gate atthe extremi-. ties' of movement of the gate;v

2. In aii electrically operated gate, the

combinationwith a pivoted gate, an electric motor, device and electric connections therefOI mBBDS-OOHIPIISIDg pawls between the gate and themotor adapted to raise and lower said gate, means associated with the aforesaid-means adapted-to disengage one of said pawls at the extreme movement of said gate whereby the motor may slowly come to rest. 7

3. In an electrically operated gate, the combination with the ate, an electric motor; device, and interme iate connections between the gate and motor for operatingthe former by the latter; of electric circuits for operating said motor forwardly or revers'ely a switch for controlling said forward and reverse'circuits, said circuits and switch being constructed to stop the motor at any point upon the opening of the switch; and means automatically controlled by the-motor and connections, for breaking either-the forward or the reverse circuit at the extremity of the respective upward or downward movements of the gate; and means also automatically controlled by the motor and connections, for disconnecting the .motor from the 'gate at either extremity of movement, concomitantly with the breakingjof the motor circuit. 7

4. In an electrically operated gate, the

combination with the gate, an electric motor v device, and a clutch mechanism between the gate and themotor for driving'the gate by the motor in forwardand reverse directions;

- electric circuits for operat ng said -niot'or] forwardly or reverselyj; contact dev ces said forward and in said reverse circuits; a switchfor controllingsaid forward and reverse circuits, .said circuits "and switch be for automatica'lly'opening the forward contact device atthe extremity of the forward movement and automatically opening the" :ireverse contact device upon the extremity 'of the reverse movement; and means also constructed to-stop the motor at any point upon the opening of the switch; means cooperating with the motor and connections,

automatically controlled by the motor for disconnecting the clutch to free theomotor from the. gate at either extremity of its movement concomitantly with -the breaking of the motor circuit.

5. In an electrically operated gate,

combination with the gate, an electric motor device, and intermediate connections beformer by the latter; of an electric circuit f and switch therein for controlling the opera:

tion of the motor and constructed to-stop the motor at any point upon' the opening ofsaid switch; and means automatically controlled by the motor and connections, for breaking the motor circuit at the extremity tween the gate and'motor for operating the i of movement of the gate independently of said switch; said intermediate. gate and motor connections being constructed with provisions operating to lock-the gate from movement in either" direction during its intermediate positions, except under control of the motor device itself.

6. In an electrically operated gate, the

combination-witha pivoted gate, an electric motor device and electric connections therefor, means for operatively connecting the motor and the gate, adapted to raise and lower the same, meansautomatically controlled by saidlconnecting means adapted to break the electric circuit to said motor at the extremi'ties'fof movement of sa d gate. and automatic means for disconnecting said motor and gate at the extremities of movement of said gate, whereby the motor can come slowly to rest. 1

7 In an electrically operated gate, the

combination of a pivoted gate, an electric motor device and electric connections therefor, means between the gate and motor for raising and lowering the former by the latter comprising a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said gate pivot and having projections thereon, a frame "having pawls on the ends thereof and mounted onthe gate,

' means for rotating the gear in opposite directions, and means for causing the pawls to lower the gate.

engage the projections on-the disk whereby the gate is raised and lowered.-

8. In an electrically, operated gate, the combination of a pivoted gate, power means for operating said gate, means between the gate and the'power means for raising andlowering the former by the latt er comprising a disk 'rotatably mounted upon the pivot of the gate, projections on said disk, a frame mounted upon the gate adjacent to said disk, pawls on the opposite ends of the frame adapted to engage the projections on the disk, and means between the power means and disk operated in both directions to rotate the disk in either direction to raise and '9. In an electrlcally operated gate, the

noeaeoo combination of a pivoted gate, power means for operating said gate, means between the gate'and the power means for raising and lowering the former by the power from thelatter comprising a disk rotatably mounted upon the pivot of the gate having projections thereon, a frame mounted upon the gate adjacent to said disk having pawls :me'ans for-causing one pawl to :engage' a.

projection ony-the disk to-lower the gate when the power means is operated in one direction, and means for causing the other pawl to engage a projection on the disk'to raise the gate when the power means is opgerated in the other'direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

CHARLES F. KETTERING.

Witnesses:

EARLE WELBORN, J; B. HAYWARD. 

